1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dispenser system and a system for management of dispenser systems, such as fueling dispensers, which may be installed to use existing wiring and hardware or may be installed to use new wiring and new hardware.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 1, multiple fueling dispensers 100 exist in fueling stations 10. These dispensers 100 are equipped to serve customers in one or two fueling positions 110. The dispensers 100 are connected via two sets of wiring 200210 that link the dispensers to electronic equipment inside the retail establishment or store. One set of wiring serves to communicate dispenser information 200 while the other relays payment information to a card reader control device 130. The pair of wires 200210 may be merged into a single cable and even into a single communication channel. Inside the store, wiring junctions coalesce like wires from each dispenser.
A single connection 220 relays fueling information from all dispensers 100 to a fuel control device 140. One or more point of sale terminals (POS) 170 are connected via connection 260 to the fuel controller 140 allowing fueling information to be displayed on the point of sale terminals 170. The fuel controller 140 may be integrated with the POS 170 into a single device with no need for the connection.
Another connection 230 is used to relay payment control information from all fueling positions 10 to a protocol adapter 150 which in turn is connected to a POS 170 device. The protocol adapter 150 may be integrated with the POS 170.
Some fueling stations which provide pay at pump via charge or debit card, contain a security module 160 which is either connected via 240 to the card reader junction 130 or to a POS 170 device.
Some configurations of equipment allow multiple parallel configurations such that several junctions exist interfaced to several fuel controllers 120 and protocol adapters 150. In this scenario, the number and connections of these devices to the POS 170 network varies widely.
A manager workstation 180 is typically connected via wiring 290 to the POS 170 devices. Alternative arrangements exist where the connections (250, 260 and 270) are all centralized on one POS 170 device. Still others use a single device as a fuel controller 140, protocol adapter 150 and communications junction boxes 120 and 130.
A customer at a fueling station 10 has various capabilities. Typically the customer can control a fueling hose through a handle or trigger, and the fuel dispenser 100 senses the presence and removal of the hose through a sensor. A customer may also select the type of fuel to be dispensed through a physical switch. The fuel dispenser 100 may also include a display for unit prices of various grades of fuel as well as the current sale volume and monies dispensed in the sale.
In the last 15 years or so devices have been added at the fueling position 110 which allow for credit card or debit card payment. These include a small display (such as a 1xc3x9720 or 4xc3x9716 character display), a printer for receipts, a note acceptor for cash transactions, a speaker for tones and sounds, and a keypad for special user inputs such as PIN entry and driver numbers on advanced card applications. Usually these are dumb devices which are remote controlled through the interface cables 200 and 210 from within the store.
The complex network formed by the POS 170 system, manager""s workstation 180 and corporate control system 191 are an industry of their own. These devices are provided by various vendors and there is a significant investment by any retailer in these systems based on their ability to link properly to back-end systems and operate a complex retail chain 24 hours a day, reliably. A retailer is bound by the investment in time and money that is made on these systems and must preserve them for some time to earn a return on investment. Furthermore, these systems are difficult to change, as modifications have to be made and delivered to thousands of locations all at once if sound financial tracking is to be maintained.
Furthermore, the network of POS 170 is typically tested in a certification process against the Remote Electronic Payments Host 190 prior to deployment. This process insures that the POS 170 electronics and software are fully compatible with the Electronic Payments Host 190 and therefore customers of the fueling station are not likely to be incorrectly billed under the myriad of circumstances that can occur in a fueling station. The certification process for a POS 170 system can take years to complete and once completed requires ongoing testing of any changes whatsoever to the POS 170 system. Therefore to prevent an arduous re-certification process, it is likely that a POS 170 system which is linked to a payment system should not be modified for any changes in the technology that is deployed in the dispensers.
Another delay encountered if new wiring is installed is that regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) must perform conformance testing on any new wiring placed underground or on any new dispensing mechanism.
Preservation of the existing POS 170 system is therefore critical to the retailer in terms of their ability to maintain orderly operation, achieve return on investment, and remain responsible in their credit card billing practices.
Furthermore the concrete and soil around a fueling station are considered to be toxic based on their exposure to residual fuel vapors and small spills over a long period of time. Any construction effort around the station therefore involves costly removal of toxic waste which is significantly more expensive than traditional construction waste disposal.
Disruption of the business of the fueling station 10 is also a significant factor in the success of new fueling technology. Any technology that closes a fueling station 10 for any length of time is most likely an expensive proposition to deploy. Therefore the time for deploying any new technology must be minimal. Furthermore, customers in this business are extremely routine-oriented and a disruption of this routine is likely to result in a semi-permanent loss of a regular customer. Ease of installation is then another factor in the commercial viability of a dispenser technology.
The present invention overcomes each of these issues adding new value to the dispenser while preserving investment and not disturbing business.
The present invention is directed to a fuel dispensing system and to a network of dispensing systems. The invention may be installed and used on a set of dispensers which are connected using existing wiring or may be installed on a dispenser system with new wiring. This invention also allows retrofitting new dispenser electronics on an existing set of dispensers and valves (hydraulics).
The main component of the current invention is a processor that translates commands and responses. In the preferred embodiment, this processor is the Site Manager (SM). The SM is a device connected to the existing devices such as the Point-of-Sale Terminal (POS) and a manager workstation. Intuitively, preserving these connections would limit the information capability of the SM. However, the SM adds functionality provided to the dispenser while maintaining backwards compatibility to existing devices such as the POS.
The SM may also be connected to a remote host. Therefore the SM combines information from the remote host and existing peripherals and communicates back and forth to the dispensers. The SM accomplishes this through a platform interface to the hardware, a device manager and a system manager server.
The SM operates the dispenser and peripherals under control of the POS. In the preferred embodiment, the part of the SM that is directed to operating the dispenser and the peripherals is called the Dispenser Controller (DC). In the preferred embodiment, the DC is implemented by a state interpretation software engine.
Other features of the invention include security through a secure-touch controller and a management and maintenance infrastructure for content distribution through a managing processor which in the preferred embodiment is called the Distribution Management System.